Spring-actuated shade-holding device



(No Model-.j y

E. T. BURROWES.

SPRING ACTUATED SHADE HOLDING DEVICE.

Patented Mar. 19, 1895.

UNITED STN-rus PATENTv OFF-Ion.

EDWARD T. BURROWES, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

SPRIKNG-ACTUATED SHADE-HOLDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,168, dated March 19, 1895.

Application filed February 15, 1893. Serial No.462,435. (No model.) d

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. BURROWEs a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Spring-ActuatedShade- Holding Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in spring actuated shade holding devices, and it Lconsists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and definitelypointed out in the claim.

The aim and purpose of the invention are the provision of improved constructions and assemblage of parts which will renderthe operation and action of the device effective and positive.

The objects of the invention are attainedby the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of a curtain stick showing one end broken away. Fig. 2 represents in side and edge elevation a modifiedV form of disk or lever. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the preferred form of friction tip and its connection. Fig. at is a perspective view of a modified form of the tip connection; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of-a modified form of actuating handle.

In the drawings A represents a hollow shade or curtain stick which constitutes a housing for the holding mechanism. I have shown the holding mechanism in but one end of the stick but it is to be understood that the opposite end is to be fitted and arranged in the same manner and with the same devices.

B are the friction heads which are preferi pivoted as shown in Fig. 3 wherein a screw b3 is shown as centered in the piston head b2 and passes through the rear Wall of the head B, the head of the screw resting against the inner face of the head B. By this means the stick and piston heads can have a rotary movement, while the friction heads are held in place, the oblong shape thereof preventing turning.

C designates the piston rods or spindles on which the heads b2 are rigidly attached. These rods extend longitudinally through a portion of the stick and have reducedextensions H loosely connected therewith which extend to a point adjacent the center of the stick, at which point they are connected eccentrically by pins i to a disk or lever I mounted on a suitable cross shaft I journaled in the sides of the stick A. The extensions H of the opposite piston rods are connected to the opposite sides of the disk or lever I. The lever I may be in the form of a circular disk as shown in Fig. 1 orin the form of a square bifurcated plate as shown in Fig. 2, or other forms may be employed.

G indicates sliding pistons which are rigidly ssf` mounted on piston rods O at a point nearv their inner ends and serve to retain the rods C in perfect alignment and aid greatly in effecting easy movement of the rods.

E are spirally coiled springs sleeved on the rods C their outer ends abutting against the inner ends of the piston heads 1:12 while their inner ends abut against the abutments or disks F which are rigidly fixed. in the casing or st'ick and through which the rods C loosely pass. These springs E form the means for normally projecting the piston heads and Yholding the friction material in close contact with the window frame.

To eect an absolute simultaneous Withdrawal of the piston heads with the friction By moving this handle the disk is rotated and IOO tain a perfect alignment of the stick while actuating the pistons or friction tips. To overcome such defects I place a fixed or stationary handle L opposed and in proximity to the handle K the same being fixedly secured on the stick A at a point between the handle and end of the stick. By this means the 0perator can grasp both handles using the stationary handle as a rest or fulcrum and move the handle K with ease preventing any undue or unequal pressure in the direction of either of the friction tips.

Were a knob or the movable handle K alone used, which of necessity have a limited movement, the flexibly supported stick, unless great care is used, would be tilted and the tips escape from the grooves, by the handle reaching the limitof its movement before the pressure thereon has been released, and further, when a single pendant or handle is used the natural tendency is to move the stick in the direction of the movement of the pendant, thereby forcing one of the friction tips into contact with the casing, whereas they should both be out of contact to secure the perfect straight movement of the flexible curtain. By the employment 0f a stationary handle a simultaneons action is secured-that is to say, when the thumb is placed against the stationary handle and the finger against the movable handle the natural tendency of the movable handle to move the stick is opposed by the opposite pressure on the stationary handle. By this means the stick is retained or held, not only in a perfect horizon tal plane but the tips are held in proper position clear of the casing, and this irrespective of the amount of energy exerted to move the handle.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form of swiveled connection between the rod C and head B which consists in dividing,r the bar C and connecting the adjacent ends thereof by an ordinary turn buckle D in which case the head B, piston b2 and a portion of the bar C may be rigidly connected.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of handle K which has a straight shank with a knob on its end and a socket at its opposite end through which the shaft I passes.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described Without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a device for holding and permitting vertical adjustment of dexible curtains, the combination with a hollow curtain stick, of a` pluralityof spring-actuated spindles arranged longitndinallyin the stick, friction tips at the outer ends of the spindles, a lever journaled in the stick and to which the inner ends of the spindles are connected, an actuating handle connected to the lever for moving the same, and a stationary handle on the stick in proximity to said other handle and between the same and end of the stick, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD T. BURROWES.

\Vitnesses:

DANIEL BROOKS, DAVID W. SNOW. 

